Whitewater opened the game with a 9-2 run, capped by Cortney Kumerow's layup at 15:12.  Simpson came back with a 6-0 spurt to close within 9-8 at 14:09 and it was nip and tuck the rest of the half, with six ties and six lead changes.  Whitewater led 33-31 at intermission. 

Simpson used an 11-15 first half at the line to offset 12 turnovers forced by the Warhawk defense.  Senior forward Kate Nielsen had 12 points for Simpson to lead all scorers.

The teams tied for the ninth, and final, time at 38-38 at the 16:50 in the second half.  From that point the Warhawks rushed out on an 11-0 run, ending with back to back threes from freshman guard Abbie Reeves and senior guard Sam Quandt to put UW-W up 49-38 at 13:10.  The Warhawk lead eventually reached 17 points, twice, at 59-42 with 10:16 left and 61-44 at 9:21.  Simpson bounced back, outscoring Whitewater 13-2 over next three and a half minutes and pull within 61-55 with 6:43 on the clock. 

The pendulum swung back with Whitewater going on an 8-0 run that opened a 69-55 Whitewater lead at 4:49.  The Warhawk lead stayed in double digits the rest of the way.

Simpson maintained its lead at the free throw line, making 19-30 to 10-16 for Whitewater, but the Warhawks dropped in six more three point shots (8-22 for Whitewater, 2-11 for Simpson).  UW-W also came out ahead in the turnover column, 13-21.

Nielsen led everyone with 28 points, on 11-22 shooting, and 14 rebounds.  Senior guard Nicole Crisp added 15 points for the Red Storm.  Quandt led Whitewater with a season high 19 points.  Junior guard Mary Merg followed with 17 points, and junior backcourt mate Kaitlyn Thill tossed in 11 points and had a game high five steals.

UW-Whitewater has advanced to the elite eight for the fourth time in school history.  The Warhawks accomplished the feat in the 1981 and 1982 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Division III tournament, and coach Keri Carollo's 2008 squad went to the final four, also held in Holland, in 2008.

TF/dw